Method of salvaging deep drawn containers



ec; 16, 1947. H. A. FINK METHOD OF SALVAGING DEEP DRAWN CONTAINERS Filed May 20, 1944 -hj@ g z .1?) 3nnentor Gttornegs Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF SALVAGING DEEP DRAWN CONTAINERS Henry A. Fink, :Plham Manor,N. Y., assignoreto Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, N. .,;,a corporation of New York Application May 20, 1944 Serial No. 536,585

2:01aims.

The invention relates generally to the art of manufacturing metallic receptacles and primarily seeks to providea'novel method'of salvaging used, deep drawn containers by reconditioning the bodies thereof to receive new end closures without I any material loss in capacity in the re-built containers as compared to the original containers from which they are rebuilt.

Deep drawn metallic receptacles are "well known and such containers commonly are closed by double seaming aclosure on the outwardly flanged open upper end .of the bodycomposed of integral bottom and side wall portions. To throw such containers away after use would be wasteful of critical metal, and the salvaging 'ofsuch containers presents problems, both as to how the sa1 vaging can be accomplished practically and inexpensively, and as to maintaining in the rebuilt container the same or a not materially lesser capacity. It isthe purpose of the present inventionto provide-a novel container salvagingmethod which will solve the problemsstated by reason of the fact that it can be performed expeditiously and at low cost and will result in providing a rebuilt container of the same or approximately the same capacity as was present in the original container.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in providing a novel method of salvaging deep drawn containers comprising, cutting on the end of the container body close to the applied open end closure, forming a circular opening centrally of the container bottom, reshaping the annular flange of bottom metal resulting from the formation of said opening to cause it to form an endwise extension of the body wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of the character stated in which an outwardly directed flange is formed on one open end of the body after it is reshaped in the manner stated, and in Which an end closure is double seamed onto said flanged end.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of the character stated in which an outwardly directed flange is formed on each open end of the body after it is reshaped in the manner stated, and in which an end closure is double seamed onto each said flanged end.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a detail sectional view illustrating a conventional form of deep drawn metal container.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the first step of the method, namely, the cutting off of the top of the container close to the closure sea-m.

Figure '3 is'a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the second step of the method, namely, the forming of the circular opening in the integral bottom of the container-body.

Figure is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating the third step of the method, namely, the reshaping of the annular flange resulting from the formation of the opening in the bottom in order to provide an endwise extension of the container body Wall.

Figuredis afragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating the fourth step of the method, namely, 'the fianging of the open ends of the reshaped container body.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrates the final step of the method, namely, the closing of one or both ends of the reshaped container body.

In describing the novel method comprising the invention, reference is made to Figure l in which a conventional form of deep drawn metal container is illustrated, said container body 5 having an integral bottom 6, and an end closure 1 double seam secured on the body as at 8.

According to the invention, after use of the conventional container illustrated in Figure 1, the closed end extremity of the container is cut away as at 9 as close as possible to the closure seam 8 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

After the end extremity of the container has been cut off in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, a circular opening II] is formed centrally in the bottom of the container, thereby leaving an annular flange II as illustrated in Figure 3.

In performing the next step of the method, the annular flange I l is reshaped so as to provide an endwise extension I2 of the body 5 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The container body illustrated in the drawings is slightly tapered from top to bottom after conventional practice but is generally cylindriform in shape, and the reshaping of the annular flange 1 l in the manner illustrated in Figure 4 provides an endwise extension l2 which also is generally cylindriform in shape and is longitudinally aligned with the main body portion 5 as illustrated.

After the reshaping and elongation of the body 5, l2 in the manner illustrated in Figure 4, said reshaped body has the end extremities thereof shaped to provide outwardly directed flanges I3 as illustrated in Figure 5.

The method is completed by attaching a bottom closure M to the reshaped container body, preferably by formation of a double seam as indicated at I 5. This bottoming operation will complete the formation of an open container body, and when it is desired to close the container, this may be accomplished by applying a top closure [6 and attachin the same to the container body through the medium of a double seam l1.

By cutting off the top extremity of the container as at 9, then elongating the container body in the manner illustrated in Figure 4 by first forming the bottom opening I!) and then reshaping or extending the resulting flange H as indicated at l2 in said Figure 4, an additional length of can body is provided sufiicient to permit formation of end flanges l3 and the closing of the container by bottom and top closures l4 and IS without providing any material reduction in capacity of the rebuilt container structure as compared to the conventional container structure illustrated in Figure 1 and from which the rebuilt container structure is formed.

In this disclosure detailed reference to and illustration of end closures of the double seam secured type are made, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular form of end closure and comprehends completion of the container by an end closure of any suitable form at one or both ends of the container body. Examples of such forms of end closures are the well known slip cover or look top cover.

I claim:

1. In a method of salvaging a drawn generally cylindriform container body of a definite height including an integral bottom, the steps of cutting 01? a portion of the body at the top thereof, forming a circular opening centrally of the container body bottom of such size as to provide an annular bottom flange of a width greater than the length of the body portion cut off, reshaping the annular flange of bottom metal resulting from the formation of said opening to cause it to form a generally cylindriform endwise extension of the body Wall effective to restore said definite height and pro vide an excess of length sufiicient to form a flange, and turning the excess length portion of the reshaped end extremity of the container body to form an outwardly turned flange.

2. The herein described method of salvaging a deep drawn generally eylindriform container of definite height and including an integral bottom and side walls and a closure applied to its top end, said method comprising cutting ofi the top end of the container body close to the applied closure, forming a circular opening centrally of the container bottom of such size as to provide an annular bottom flange of a width greater than the length of the body portion cut off, reshaping the annular flange of bottom metal resulting from the formation of said opening to cause it to form a generally cylindriform endwise extension of the body Wall efiective to restore said definite height and provid an excess of length suflicient to form two end flanges, equally dividing the excess length provided in the reshaped body and turning half thereof into a flange at each end of the container body, and double seam securing an end closure on each said flanged end.

HENRY A. FINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,407,076 Mills Feb. 21, 1922 2,084,973 John June 22, 1937 2,339,763 Calleson Jan. 25, 1944 2,423,708 Keogh et al July 8, 1947 

